3 charged with robbing, duct-taping pair

UTICA -- Three Oneida city men were arraigned in Oneida County Court Wednesday on charges of burglary, first- and second-degree robbery.

Nicolas Stokes, 18, Kyle Peterson, 19 and Daymond Harris, 18, all of Lenox Avenue in Oneida, allegedly invaded the the Route 13 Vienna residence of Patrick K. Wales and Joshua J. Lawrence while the two were present and took cash from them.

Statements provided by the three men indicate that Wales and Lawrence were bound with duct tape and that Wales suffered an injury to his head during the Sept. 25 incident. Though no charges associated with the injury have been made, Harris said in his statement to police that he hit Wales with a baseball bat because he felt threatened.

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Statements from the three men give varying reasons for the trip to the home of Wales and Lawrence.

Stokes told police that Harris told him that he needed to go over to Wales' house to get some things and then was asked by Harris for a ride and Peterson accompanied them.

Peterson told police that Wales had expressed interest in his girlfriend and that he wanted to go to his home to talk to him and took Harris and Peterson along for protection.

Harris told police that Peterson told him that Wales owed him money and that the three were going to go get it. Harris told police that the violence started shortly after they arrived.

"Pat looked like he was really going to do something so I swung the baseball bat," Harris said, noting that Wales looked like he was reaching downwards for something.

Stokes said in his statement that Wales was bleeding from his head and it appeared as though he had just been hit by something, though he said he did not see what it was. He also said that he got Wales a towel because of the amount of blood.

Peterson also said that he didn't see the hit, but saw an aluminum bat sitting in the corner of the room and kept asking Wales if he was all right because he was bleeding from his head.

Peterson told police that Wales told them to take everything, but Peterson said that he said he just wanted Wales to leave his girlfriend alone.

In the statement, Peterson said he took his friends along because he had been threatened by Wales before and knew that Wales had guns.

Harris said that after he hit Wales in the head, Peterson and Stokes kept asking him why he did it. Shortly after, Harris told police that Peterson held up a roll of duct tape and all three taped Wales' and Lawrence's hands in front of them.

Stokes said that he observed Wales' hands duct taped and saw Peterson doing the same to Lawrence. Peterson told police that Stokes taped their hands.

Harris said that Peterson then demanded money from Wales, though Wales said he didn't have any at first, but eventually got some out of his pocket. Harris said that he was looking for marijuana, which Wales did not have.

"I would hope that Pat and his friend could forgive me for doing this and know that this was not my intent for anyone to get hurt," Harris said. "I just thought Pat was going to give Kyle his money and I could get some marijuana."

While Peterson posted $15,000 bond for bail, Harris is still being held in Oneida County Jail with the same bail set. Stokes' status was unavailable.